Student Research Student Events

Liberal Arts Symposium

April 21, 2022

The Juniata College Liberal Arts Symposium is a day-long celebration of student research and scholarship. The Liberal Arts Symposium highlights the scholarly and creative work that students do in the classroom, in the laboratory, in the field, in the community, on the stage, and in the studio. Not only do students showcase their excellence in their discipline, but they see what other departments have to offer and what their fellow classmates have been working on throughout the year.

ISIS Combatants’ Theology of Rape: How do Jihadists Justify Acts of Sexual Violence During War?

Stephanie Hyland Winter ’21 (She/Her)

Sponsor: Zia Haque, Peace and Conflict Studies

Abstract:

Between 2014 and 2017, the Islamic State (ISIS) in a vast swath of Iraq and Syria committed brutal atrocities and sexual violence against Yazidi women. ISIS Jihadists, as a part of systemic assault and rape against a religious minority group, captured, traded, and sold Yazidi women into sex slavery. While sexual violence in armed conflicts is often used as a strategy of war, a sizable amount of feminist literature links these acts with masculinity and violence to shame, humiliate communities, and assert power. Another group of scholars, however, argues that feminist frameworks are too rigid to explain the subject nuances of Jihadists’ use of sexual violence. This study contextualizes these debates and explores the applicability of the feminist masculinityviolence framework to assess and explain the dynamics of sexual violence committed by ISIS Jihadists. This presentation will explore these frameworks and different religious and cultural norms that aid in Jihadist justification of acts of sexual violence.

Welcome Picnic

August 30, 2021

The Baker Institute hosted a picnic to welcome faculty and students back to campus. The event was held on the Oller Center’s outdoor patio, and students were able to become familiar with the Oller Center and the staff. Attendees connected with our new director, Dr. Zia Haque, and learned more about the new additions to the Peace and Conflict Studies program.

Peace Week

September 21, 2021

The International Day of Peace is a United Nations-sanctioned holiday observed annually on September 21. On this day, Juniata College’s Peace Studies Club, PAX-O, set up an information table on the college quad. The table was organized by Juniata Associate Shanna Menendez ’22, and Student Assistant Melanie Thorn ’23. College students passing by on the college quad were asked, “What does peace mean to you?”. The club invited students to decorate the sidewalk with peace quotes and images.

Informal Panel and Discussion on the War in Ukraine

March 9, 2022

On February 24, 2022, Russia launched an invasion on Ukraine, marking the beginning of the largest war in Europe since the Second World War. Juniata students across all disciplines were shocked by the outbreak of violence in Europe and requested a forum in which to process and learn about this conflict. The Provost’s Office organized an on-campus expert panel on the Ukraine crisis. Zia Haque, Director of The Baker Institute, was invited to serve on this panel and share his perspective and answer questions about the invasion of Ukraine by the Russian government.